shane.young@comcast.net

The age old question of how to run a a kids race safely for all involved. It is almost like we need another category. We will call them the tweens. :) We have juniors and we have kiddies, but like Kirsti states, we have the ones that fall inbetween. Those that step up to the juniors but aren't really read are in for an epic journey, it is no longer a race. We had a couple girls are Pain on the Peak that were awesome. They never gave up, but it was so epic that I fear that they may decide that racing is too much for them.

The other question is when to run them. I think running them with the unicycles would be great. If we run them with cyclesdale it could be bad as the small ones can be mistaken as cones. Scroll down three photos to see what I mean.

http://www.oregonvelo.com/2006/blog/?p=246

We are just running out of time to run them. A couple of years ago there was a big debate about when to run the juniors because people would race with their kids but they didn't like that there was a three hour gap in their race and their kids race. I think a race could safely be done at lunch time with the normal kiddie race. Send off the unicycles, send off the one lap juniors and then send off the little ones on their short lap. But this probably would double the time of the lunch break/kiddie race and I don't know if there is the time. I hope there is because we are getting a lot more of the tweens.

Shane

-------------- Original message ----------------------
From: "Kirsti Hegg"
> I wish there was a comments section too.,.. The biggest thing I'd like to
> see added is high quality youth events. Not just kiddie cross. I have a 9
> year old son who is really into biking, but the kiddie cross is not doing a
> thing to build his skills and endurance. I've thought about letting him ride
> with me in the women's event and do one lap, but those run-ups are brutal
> with a dirt bike (and even with a cross bike if you only weigh 72 pounds).
>
>
>
> In Seattle, they run a youth race that's only 1 lap (sometimes with the
> roughest portion removed) and the runups are attended by adults lying in
> wait to help anyone up that needs it. Kids 8-13 really get to stretch their
> wings with this.
>
>
>
> My son is the biggest reason I attend the Cross Crusade. I personally suck
> and generally pull up the rear of the women's beginner group. But I'd LOVE
> to see him pursue this! How do we encourage our kids in this sport when
> there's not much for the younger-than-junior group?
>
>
>
> How 'bout we run a lap for these kids with the unicycles?? (staggered start
> before or after the unicyclists-whichever would avoid tripping up the
> unicyclists)
>
>
>
> Kirsti Hegg
>
>